Antioxidant Potential of Sea Cucumbers and Their Beneficial Effects on Human Health

Abstract

Sea cucumbers are considered a luxury food item and used locally in traditional medication due to their impressive nutritional profile and curative effects. Sea cucumbers contain a wide range of bioactive compounds, namely phenolics, polysaccharides, proteins (collagen and peptides), carotenoids, and saponins, demonstrating strong antioxidant and other activities. In particular, phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids and flavonoids, are abundant in this marine invertebrate and exhibit antioxidant activity. Protein hydrolysates and peptides obtained from sea cucumbers exhibit antioxidant potential, mainly dependent on the amino acid compositions and sequences as well as molecular weight, displayed for those of ≤20 kDa. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of sea cucumber polysaccharides, including fucosylated chondroitin sulfate and fucan, is a combination of numerous factors and is mostly associated with molecular weight, degree of sulfation, and type of major sugars. However, the activity of these bioactive compounds typically depends on the sea cucumber species, harvesting location, food habit, body part, and processing methods employed. This review summarizes the antioxidant activity of bioactive compounds obtained from sea cucumbers and their by-products for the first time. The mechanism of actions, chemical structures, and factors affecting the antioxidant activity are also discussed, along with the associated health benefits.

Persimmon Leaves: Nutritional, Pharmaceutical, and Industrial Potential—A Review

“…In particular, they engage in plants’ defense by inhibiting herbivory, ultraviolet radiation, and pathogen attacks. In addition, they are responsible for the flavor, color, bitterness, and astringency of fruits such as persimmon [ 26 ]. Phenolic compounds in plants primarily originate from phenylalanine, and to a lesser extent, tyrosine.…”

“…For example, p -hydroxycinnamic acid is derived from tyrosine with the assistance of tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), whereas trans cinnamic acid is derived from phenylalanine, catalyzing by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). The major phenolics present in plants are flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, stilbenes, lignans, and coumarin [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Phenolic compounds are well known as antioxidants, which demonstrate inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase and tyrosinase activities as well as LDL-cholesterol, DNA, and lipid oxidation [ 29 ].…”

Bioactive secondary metabolites in sea cucumbers and their potential to use in the functional food industry

“…Under stress conditions, the human body generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), and these ROS responsible for initiating various disorders in the body such as inflammatory diseases, cancer, aging, cardiovascular diseases, brain dysfunction, and cataracts (Hossain et al, 2022a;Verma & Mishra, 2014). Antioxidants have the potential to prevent free radical formation and therefore slow down the oxidative stress in the cells and exert a protective role against ROS-mediated disorders.…”

Anti-Parkinson Effects of Holothuria leucospilota-Derived Palmitic Acid in Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Parkinson’s Disease

“…Sea cucumbers are invertebrate marine animals which are commonly used as traditional medicine in Asian countries [ 11 ], as they contain various bioactive components, including peptides, fucoidan, triterpene glycosides, cerebrosides, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, phenols, saponin, phospholipids and essential fatty acids [ 11 , 12 ]. Based on their impressive chemical profiles, a wide range of ascribed biological functions of sea cucumbers have been reported, such as anticancer, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, improvement of memory and learning, and anti-aging [ 11 , 13 ]. Previous study reported the anti-neurodegenerative action of the crude ethyl acetate fraction of Holothuria scabra ( H. scabra ) in C. elegans PD model [ 14 ].…”